Post-hole digger.



E. E. GOHEEN.

POST HOLE BIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

III/ll! Ill/Ill EJDVIABCD E. GOI-IEEN, OF JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. OF ONE-HALF T0 FLETCHER J". BLACKBURN, OF JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS.

POST-HOLE BIGGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' PatentedFeb. 23, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. GoHnEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Morgan and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post-Hole Diggers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a post hole digger, and

has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character which will be useful for the purpose designed and which can be manipulated in a very con venient and efficient manner. It is proposed to so construct the device that it may be conveniently employed for removing dirt from a hole as well as for digging the hole, and in this connection it is proposed to so mount the blade upon the handle that the blade may be quickly and conveniently shifted upon its handle from a digging position to a position for removing dirt from the hole, and vice versa, while the blade is in the hole, thereby avoiding the necessity of removing the digger from the hole and going through more or less complicated adjustments to shift the blade from one position to another. While the blade can be conveniently shifted while in the hole, by manipulation of the handle only, the blade will be held in each of its positions with sufiicient rigidity to permit of the convenient and efficient use of the device in digging as well as in removing the diggings from the hole.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details may be made, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawingsFigur-e 1 is a perspective view of a post hole digger embodying the features of the present invention, the blade being in position for digging. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the implement. Fig. 4c is a detail sectional elevation of the implement with the blade in position for lifting dirt from a hole. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail fragmentary perspective view of the rear portion of the blade.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each of the figures of the drawing.

The present implement includes a blade 1, a handle 2 and a ferrule 8. The blade is of metal and of any preferred size and configuration, the lower edge thereof being relatively sharp and of a configuration to facilitate the use of the device in digging. The handle is preferably of wood and in the form of a substantially cylindrical bar. The ferrule connects the handle and the blade as will now be described.

The upper portion of the ferrule 3 is preferably cylindrical and snugly embraces the lower end of the handle 2, to which it is rigidly secured by means of suitable fastenings, such, for instance, as rivets. The lower portion 3 of the ferrule extends longitudinally beyond the adjacent end of the handle, and is contracted in width and is of substantial U-shape in cross-section as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the open side of this U-shaped portion of the ferrule being at the back of the implement.

The blade'l is bifurcated or provided with a longitudinal slot 4 intercepting the rear edge of the blade and at the middle thereof. At the inner end of the slot or bifurcation, there is an integral boss or enlargement 5 on the front of the blade, and on the rear end of this boss is a substantially rectangular knuckle 6 which is integral with the boss 5 and of less width than the latter. A transverse opening 7 extends through the middle portion of this knuckle.

In assembling the handle and the blade, the lower portion 3 of the ferrule is received in the slot or bifurcation 4 of the blade, and the knuckle 6 is received within the lower open end of the ferrule, to which it is pivotally connected by a suitable pivot pin 8, whereby the blade may be disposed longitudinally of the handle, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, for digging purposes, or it may be swung into a position at substantially right angles to the handle, as in Fig. 4, for the purposes of lifting dirt out of a hole. The lower front end portion of the ferrule is open or cut away as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing to permit pivotal movement of the blade. Also the lower ends of each side of the ferrule are rounded or beveled, as best shown in Fig. 1 so as not to interfere with the shoulders 10 of the boss 5 when swingingthe blade from one position to the other.

By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the shoulders 10 of the boss engage the extremity of the handle at opposite sides of the bifurcation therein so as to relieve strain from the pivot 8 in the digging position of the blade.

For the purpose of holding the blade in each of its positions, there is a leaf spring 11 disposed within the Ushaped portion 3 of the ferrule and held therein by suitable fastening 12 disposed substantially midway between the ends of the spring. In the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the lower end of the spring extends into the slot or bifurcation 4 of the blade with its lower extremity bearing against the inner end of the slot or bifurcation and its front side bearing against one edge of the knuckle 6, whereby the blade Will be held in its digging position.

The blade may be turned upon its pivot 8, from the digging position, shown in Fig. 2, to the position shown in Fig. 4, the spring 11 yielding sufficiently to permit of the knuckle 6 turning upon its pivot 8 until the front face of the knuckle engages the upper closed end of the bifurcation in the lower end of the ferrule. In this position, the spring 11 will be in engagement with another face or edge of the knuckle, and the blade Will be held in its digging position.

A set screw 13 pierces the front of the ferrule immediately below the lower end of the handle and may be set up more or less tightly against the upper end of the spring 11 for the purpose of varying the tension thereof as may be required when wear has developed between the spring and the knuckle.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A post hole digger comprising a handie, a blade pivoted to the handle and shiftable from a position longitudinally thereof to a position transversely thereof, and vice versa, and a spring carried by one of the members and engaging the other member to hold the blade in each of its positions, said other member having a part provided with surfaces at substantially right angles to one another for successive engagement with the spring, and said part being free to ride upon the spring under relative movements of the members in shifting the blade from one position to another, and means for varying the tension of the spring.

2. A post hole digger comprising a handle. a blade pivoted to the handle and shiftable from a position longitudinally thereof to a position transversely thereof, and vice versa, and a spring carried by one of the members and engaging the other member to hold the blade in each of its positions, said other member having a part provided with surfaces at substantially right angles to one another for successive engagement with the spring, and said part being free to ride upon the spring under relative movements of the members in shifting the blade from one position to another, and a set screw for varying the tension of the spring.

3. A post hole digger comprising a handle, a blade pivoted to the handle and shift able from a position longitudinally thereof to a position transversely thereof, and vice versa, a leaf spring secured intermediate of its ends upon the handle and having its ends free, the blade having a part provided with surfaces at substantially right angles to one another for successive engagement with one end of the spring, said part being free to ride upon the spring in shifting the blade from one position to another, and a setscrew in cooperative relation with the other end of the spring for varying the tension thereof.

4. A post hole digger comprising a bifurcated handle, a. blade having a bifurcation receiving the bifurcated handle, said blade also having a knuckle pivoted within the bifurcated portion of the handle and provided with surfaces at substantially right angles to one another, and a spring carried by the handle and disposed for successive engagements with the surfaces of the knuckle which are at substantially right angles to one another to hold the blade in its different positions.

5. A post hole digger comprising a bifurcated handle, a blade having a bifurcation receiving the bifurcated portion of the handle, said blade having a boss at the inner end of the bifurcation, said boss having a knuckle alined with and extending in front of the bifurcation in the blade and provided with surfaces at substantially right angles to one another, said knuckle being received within the bifurcated portion of the handle and pivoted thereto, and a spring carried within the bifurcated portion of the handle and having a part disposed for suecessive engagements with the surfaces of the knuckle which are at substantially right angles to one another to hold the blade in its different positions.

6. A post hole digger comprising a handle, a blade pivoted to the handle and shiftable from a position longitudinally thereof to a position transversely thereof, and vice versa, and a spring carried by one of the members and engaging the other member to hold the blade in each of its positions, said other member having a part provided with spring, and said part being free to ride upon the spring under relative movements of the members in shifting the blade from one position to another.

7. A post hole digger comprising a bifurcated handle, a blade having a shank pivoted in the bifurcation and provided with surfaces disposed at substantially right angles to one auother,and a leaf spring se-,

cured within the bifurcation and having its free extremity disposed for successive engagement by said surfaces of the shank, and said shank being free to ride upon the spring under relative movements of the members in shifting the blade from one of its positions to another.

8. A post hole digger comprising a bifurcated handle, a blade having a shank pivoted in the bifurcation and provided with surfaces disposed at substantially right angles to one another, and a leaf spring secured within the bifurcation and having its free extremity disposed for successive engagement by said surfaces of the shank, and said shank being free to ride upon the spring under relative movements of the members in shifting the blade from one of its positions to another, a portion of the blade lying in substantial engagement with the adjacent end of the handle in the longitudinal disposition of the blade, and the end of the handle being beveled at its front side to accommodate the blade in swinging about its pivotal connection with the handle.

9. A post hole digger comprising a bifurcated handle, a blade having a bifurcation receiving the bifurcated handle, said blade also having a boss on the front thereof and a reduced knuckle on the boss in alinement with the bifurcation of the blade, said knuckle being pivoted within the bifurcated portion of the handle and provided with surfaces at substantially right angles to one another, the top of the boss at opposite sides of the knuckle constituting shoulders to en-- gage the end of the handle, and a spring carried by the handle and disposed for successive engagements with the surfaces of the knuckle which are at substantially right angles to one another to hold the blade in its difierent positions.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDWARD E. GOHEEN.

Witnesses:

E. P. BRooKHoUsE, W. E. HALL.

Gopies of thia patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

